The present invention generally relates to portable floors and more specifically to a system of interconnecting floor panels which connect together to form the floor surface. This portable surface may be used for a variety of different purposes, such as a portable stage, dancing, trade show displays and exhibits.
It is known that portable floors are often required for various purposes. For example, floors made specifically for dancing provide a great deal of recreation, exercise and personal enjoyment to their users. A preferred dancing surface is a hard, smooth, wood-like surface having a certain amount of spring. Although other surfaces may be danced upon, the action, feel and appearance of a surface made specifically for dancing is appreciated by both professional and novice dancer alike. However, a permanently-installed dance floor is expensive to install and can easily be damaged if used for other activities other than dancing. These problems were solved with the development of the portable dance floor.
Portable dance floors come in readily transportable sections which fit together to meet the needs of a particular function or activity. The floors of a hotel banquet room, recreation center, church hall, convention center or home living room may quickly be transformed to a dance floor through the installation of a portable dance floor. However, despite their convenience, portable dance floors present a unique set of challenges. A portable dance floor should install quickly and easily, provide a secure and smooth dancing surface, and be able to withstand the forces and wear and tear of people walking and dancing upon it.
Portable floors may also be used for setting up stages for theatrical or musical performances. A portable floor may also be used in a convention or trade show setting where a hard surface is desired for setting up a display or promotion. The requirements for these types of floor are frequently the same as for the portable dance floor described above.
Because portable floors typically come in sections, it is necessary to interconnect the various sections to make up the whole floor. Particularly in the case of dancing and theatrical productions, the sections of the portable floor should connect so there are no open seams, holes, or raised surfaces or objects which a dancer or performer might trip or stumble upon. In the case of dance floors, as a floor is danced upon, especially by professional dancers, a variety of forces are exerted upon the floor. Among these forces are lateral forces which will act to separate the individual sections of the floor unless the sections are adequately anchored together. However, the system employed to secure the sections together should be designed so that it not only prevents the sections from separating, but also allows for easy and rapid assembly and disassembly.
It is also desirable to have a connecting system which utilizes a minimum amount of hardware. Many users, including hotels, churches, etc., purchase portable floors for periodic use and enjoyment. However, the enjoyment and practicality of the device can be easily frustrated if hardware necessary to hold the floor together is misplaced, causing either delays in assembling the floor, or tempting the user to assemble the dance floor without all of the connecting hardware, which is not safe and can greatly reduce enjoyment of the floor.
Earlier forms of portable dance floors employed tongue and groove construction, where the tongue of one section fit within the groove of an abutting section, and the connection secured with a removable screw or bolt set through the tongue and groove. However, this type of connection makes assembly a slow a tedious process because each screw or bolt must be inserted and made up. Likewise, disassembly is slow and tedious. In addition, a screw or bolt head which is not entirely flush with the surface of the dance floor creates a potential hazard for the user. Finally, when the floor is not in use, the loose fasteners must be stored such that they are readily located for the next use.
In an effort to solve the above problems with bolted tongue and groove connections, U.S. Pat. No. 5,465,546 discloses a system for connecting a portable dance floor which does not use screws or bolts to join adjacent sections of the floor. The system disclosed in Pat. No. ""546 uses a main connector plate which is placed at the junction of four adjoining sections of the dance floor. Also disclosed in the ""546 patent is a tool used to disassemble the dance floor. While the system of the ""546 patent is superior to the bolted tongue and groove connections, it still has disadvantages. First, setting up and tearing down the floor can be difficult. As disclosed in the ""546 patent, at least two people are required to disassemble the floor, and a special tool is required. Second, the user of a portable dance floor with the disclosed system must continue to store a relatively small piece of hardware, i.e., the connector plates, which can easily be mislocated from the larger sections of the dance floor.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,189,283 discloses a portable dance floor in which adjacent panels are connected together with tongue and groove connections, where the tongue section is angled for locking into the groove. Assembly of the connecting sections requires lifting the panel to be joined and can be complicated by the different sizes of the panels. Disassembly of the floor can be difficult as well, as lateral forces applied to the surface of the floor can wedge the tongue elements tightly within the groove element, making it difficult to dislodge the tongue element. Moreover, each panel of this system has tongue elements protruding from the side of each panel, which can be broken off or otherwise damaged. Thus, while the connection system disclosed in the ""283 patent eliminates the problem of requiring additional hardware and/or tools for disassembly, it presents other potential problems.
The present invention is directed to a connection system for a portable floor which solves the problems identified above.
One embodiment of the disclosed portable floor comprises a plurality of rectangular panels. Each panel has a top surface which is used as the dancing or activity surface, and a bottom surface, which rests upon the ground, floor, or other support. The four sides of the rectangle comprise a first side having a first male edge, a second side adjacent to the first side, the second side having a second male edge, a third side having a first groove oriented along the long axis of the third side, and a fourth side, adjacent to the third side, the fourth side having a second groove oriented along the long axis of the fourth side.
Each male edge has two ends, comprising a locking end and a free end. The first groove is adapted for receiving the first male edge of a first adjacent panel, the first groove having an engagement member within the first groove for engaging the locking end of the first male edge. Likewise, the second groove is adapted for receiving the second male edge of a second adjacent panel, the second groove having an engagement member within the second groove for engaging the locking end of the second male edge.
The locking end of each male edge may comprise locking means such as a splined or beveled edge or a J-hook. These structures may be fashioned directly from the material comprising the end of the male edge, or the locking end may be attached to the male edge. The engagement member of each groove may comprise a female receiver adapted to receive the male spline or beveled edge. Alternatively, the engagement member may comprise a post generally oriented vertically at a right angle to the groove, the post configured to receive the J-hook of the male edge of an adjacent panel.
Once the locking end of the male edge of one panel engages the engagement member within the groove of an adjacent panel, the remainder of the male edge is fitted into the groove so that the entire length of the male edge is inserted into the groove. The two panels are further secured together with secondary locking means, which may comprise either a clip attached to one of the panels, or transition pieces which may be installed around the entire perimeter of the portable floor. Transition pieces are known in the art as beveled pieces going from the surface of the underlying floor to the level of the portable dance floor. The transition pieces lock onto the outward facing edges of the exterior panels, thus locking the entire floor. Disassembly of the floor is achieved by simply reversing the assembly steps.
The disclosed locking system enables a single person to install or disassemble a portable floor. It eliminates the need for storing any additional hardware to connect the panels to one another. No special tools are required to assemble or disassemble a floor. The floor is easy to assemble. Once the portable floor is assembled each panel is locked at two different places, thus firmly connecting the floor together. Panels may be added as desired to increase the size of the floor.